2001 Saab 9-3 Convertible Review

It's rare to find a car that satisfies both people's conscience and their passion. The Saab 9-3 Convertible is one such rare breed. On the one hand, it is a sensible coupe with excellent safety features and a real back seat. It's the kind of car a mother could love. On the other, it is a turbo-charged convertible that stirs your urge to drive and bathes you in sunlight basically with the touch of a button. The kind of car a mother could need. I recently did some traveling in a Saab 9-3 Convertible, with my 10-year-old son in tow. Our thoughts follow.
THE GOOD NEWS
The best news is that which I just mentioned: What a delightful hybrid of fun and function this convertible offers. I'll start with the fun.

Once you unlatch the roof header, an easy procedure, the convertible top becomes fully automatic until stowed. The experience is wide-open, but you still feel contained thanks to Saab's deep cockpit. I like that.

Luxury is also a priority here, with rich leather interior, marvelous sound system and all the extras you'd expect. Of special note are the full convertible headliner and heated glass back window.

Standard equipment on this 9-3 Convertible is the 2.0-liter high output 4-cylinder turbo engine. It cranks a heady 205 horsepower and comes with either manual or automatic. I had the automatic.

More significantly, torque with this engine sustains over a huge rpm range. This provides power on demand whether you're in stop-and-go traffic or on the highway, keeping things lively at all times. With the automatic transmission, this engine creates 184 pound feet from 1,900 to 5,700 rpm. That's remarkable.

The bottom line is this is a very responsive car, quick and agile, fast and sure-footed. This convertible is not all about show; it's also big on spirit.

True to its fine European roots, there is also great integrity here. No cowl shakes, no trembles over rough road, although the ride is never going to be as pristine as a coupe. That said, even with the top down, this Saab proceeds as one solid piece.

Finally, unlike some of its rather awkward-looking brethren, this Saab 9-3 Convertible comes off as extremely pretty, especially in black.

THE BAD NEWS
"Please write that I hate this car," moaned my long-legged son from the back seat somewhere around Dalton, Ga. It's true. The back seat may be better than most convertibles', but that's little solace to a semi-nauseous 10-year old who has been stuffed back there for several hours. Leg room is still limited, and the heavy convertible top makes it claustrophobic. This Saab may be family friendly, but not for the cross-country. Wind noise was also a bit of a nuisance, but only on the highway. My largest complaint with this convertible is the turbo-lag, that split second before the turbo power kicks in. While not overly pronounced in this Saab, this surge still kept surprising me and making it feel just a tad wild. I understand the efficiency and other advantages; I still prefer my power normally aspirated.

GAS MILEAGE
EPA rated at 20 mpg city/25 highway

PRICE
Manufacturer's base, $39,725;
As tested, $42,798.

IS IT WORTH IT?
Running up the price on my Saab was the automatic transmission, heated front seats and the OnStar satellite help/emergency system, a strange reminder of Saab's linkage with General Motors.

There are not a whole lot of what I would call full-sized convertibles out there, meaning those with decent trunks and back seats for grown-ups. None of them are inexpensive, the most reasonable being a Chrysler Sebring.

So relatively speaking, I think this Saab 9-3 Convertible is well worth its price. It delivers a huge amount of driving satisfaction, substance and smiles. These, unfortunately, don't come cheap.

Beth Stein is a life-long car buff and free-lance journalist living in Nashville. She has reviewed new vehicles in print for 12 years as a weekly columnist for Nashville’s daily newspapers and on television for Road Test Magazine and Motor Trend Television. Currently, her reviews appear nationally on Car And Driver Television.